Highway guard



March i3, 1934. vv. s. EDGE LQW HIGHWAY GUARD Filled April 1s, 1932 2sheets-sheet 1 INVENTOR w s. EDGE L95979 l HIGHWAY GUARD Filed April16', 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Patented Mar. 13, 1934 HIGHWAY GUARDWalter S. Edge, Pittsburgh, Pa., assignor to Pittsburgh Steel Company,ration of Pennsylvania Pittsburgh, Pa., a corpo- Application April 16,1932, Serial N0. 605,697 Claims. (Cl. IESS-13.1)

my invention relates to highway guards, such as are employed as fencesor deflectors to prevent vehicles leaving the roadway on bridges, onembankments or at curves.

One object of my invention is to provide a guard structure thatpossesses a maximum capacity of resistance for a given weight ofmaterial.

Another object of my invention is to provide a guard of band-like formwhich is of relatively 10 narrow width, and which is reinforced at itsupper and lower edges to reduce tendency for a vehicle to over-ride orunder-ride the upper arid lower edges, respectively, of the band,through excessive deflection of said edges relative to the intermediateportion of the band.

Another object of my invention is to provide a guard structure that ishighly yieldable, and can be deflected to a greater extent than varioustypes of guards heretofore employed, without permanent deformation ofthe guard strip.

A further object of my invention is to provide l an improved form ofyielding buffer support for guard bands.

Another object of my invention is to provide a guard band or strip ofimproved form, and an improved manner of connecting the same tosupporting posts or the like.

Some of the forms which my invention may taxe are shown in theaccompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a face view of a portion of aguard fence; Fig. 2 is an enlarged view taken on the line II-II of Fig.1; Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of the structure ofFig. 1; Fig. 4 is a view showing a modification of the structure of Fig.2; Fig. 4a shows a modification of the structure of Fig. 4; Fig. 5 is avertical sectional view of the structure of Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a faceview of a modified form of band; Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional viewthereof; Fig. 8 is a face View of still another form of band; Fig. 9 isa vertical sectional view thereof, and Fig. 10 is a sectional plan viewof the structure of Fig. 8.

Referring first to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, I show a band or guard strip 12which may be of sheet steel or other suitable material. The upper andlower edges of the band are beaded or curved as indicated at 13, tostiffen said edges and resist excessive deilection thereof relative tothe longitudinal mid portion of the band, thereby resisting tendency forthe hubs or bumper bars of vehicles to be pushed over'the band orunderneath thesame when the 4center of impact comes close to the upperor lower edges of the band. The edges at 13 may be curved only slightlyas shown in Fig. 3, or may be bent to approximately circularform asshown in Fig. 7, at 33.

The band is shown as secured to posts 14 and 15 that may -be suitablyimbedded in the ground,

'the end posts 14 being anchored by guy rods 16 L in any well-knownmanner. The ends of the band are connected to the sides of the posts byclamping plates 17 and bolts 18. The band is connected to the faces ofthe posts by means of clamping plates 20 and 21, as hereinafterexplained.

'Ihe plate 20 issecured to the posts by means of bolts 22 that extendthrough the Yposts and into threaded engagement with tapped recesses inthe rear side of the plate 20. The holes through which the bolts 26extend are horizontally flared as indicated at 23, to permit the boltsto pivot about their heads, and thus allow sliding movement of the bar20 across the face of the post, when the band 12'is placed under greatlongitudinal stress, as through an impact imposed against the same atpoints intermediate two posts. The plate 21 is secured to the plate 20by means of bolts 24 that clamp the bands 12 securely in place.

It will be understood that when a band is deilected laterally at pointsbetween two posts, the stress will be transmitted to other posts,because the various bars 20 can slide on the faces of their respectiveposts. When the band is relieved of deflection stresses, it will tend toassume its normally straight position, and tendency toward sagging isopposed by the beads 13 which resist deection of the band, andthereafter tend to cause it to straighten out when the load is removedtherefrom.

In Figs. 4 and 5, I show another means for connecting the band to theposts, such means comprisingnbolts 26 that correspond to the bolts 22,

and a spring plate .27. The spring 27 may extend u vertically for thefull width of the band or may be composed of a plurality of leavesdisposed in vertically spaced relation.

The bolts 26 are threaded into clamping plates 28, at their outer ends,and at their inner ends are screwthreaded and provided with nuts 29,which may be utilized to draw the plate 28 and the band 12 inwardly toincrease the longitudinal tension of the band. The band 12 is secured tothe bar 28 by means of a bar 29 and bolts 30.

T'he bolts 26 have pivotal movement in the posts as do the bolts 22,when the band 12 is shifted longitudinally by stresses imposed againstthe same. The spring 27 may also slide on the face of the post, and itsouter edges are curled back collision of a vehicle therewith, the bandwill.

0 course be deilected and longitudinal pull eX- e (ted. Thuslongitudinal stresses are transmitted to those sections of the bandsbetween other posts, by reason of the fact that the clamping plates 28and 29 can shift through pivotal movement of the bolts 26. The springs27 will, of course, be compressed, and when the load isremoved from theband, they will assist in restoring the band to its normal orundeflected position. Also, the springs 27 will maintain the band underconstant tension notwithstanding the shrinkage and expansion of the bandunder repeated changes in temperature. The tension on the band can beadjusted by means of the nuts 29, as above-explained.

In Fig. 4a the bolt 26a corresponds to the bolts 26 but instead of beingthreaded into the clamping plate 28a it extends loosely therethrough andhas in effect a ball and socket connection therewith. The clamping plate29a clamps the band against the plate 28a and retains it against theends of the spring 27a.

By this arrangement, swinging or pivoting of the bolt 26a throughshifting of the band longitudinally of itself causes the plate 28a tohave pivotal movement on thebolt head, thus reducing bending stresses onthe mesh by the plates 28a and 29a. f i

Referring now to Figs. 6 and '7, I show a band 12a that may be mountedon posts or other supports, as is shown in Figs. l to 5, but whichdiffers from the band 12 in that cables or wires 32 are contained withinthe beads or curled edges 33 of the band. The ends of these wires 32 maybe suitably anchored to maintain them under considerable tension, as byclamps 32a, and thereby stiien the band more effectively than if onlythe beads 33 are provided. The tension members 32 of course tend to makethe band lie in straight lines and to return it from deflected position.

The band 12a is shown as provided with a number oflongitudinally-extending slots 34, which will permit it to be sldablyconnected to a post by means of bolts, without the necessity ofemploying clamping bars such as the bars 20 and 21 of Fig. 2. Thisarrangement would permit the band to be connected to a post in themanner shown in Fig. 10, for example.

Referring now to Figs. 8 to 10, I show a band consisting of strand wires35, which are preferably of spring steel and which are passedalternately in front of and behind stay strips 36, the strips beingpreferably oiset at the points where the strands cross the same. Theseoffsets form seats on which the wire strands 35 are sldably supported,and resist deflection of the strands in vertical directions. g

The strand wires 35 may suitably be of 8 gauge spring steel wire forexample, spaced apart inch, center-to-center, while the stay strips 36may be 1 inch wide and 116 to 1/8 inch in thickness. These dimensionswill, of course, be varied to suit conditions. Y

The band of Fig. 8 is shown as secured to a post Vincreasedyieldability, since they will vtend to straighten out under lateralimpacts, but will return to their normal positions when the load isremoved from the band.

I claim as my invention:`

l. A guard fence comprising a support, an impact-receiving band, a boltor the like having its inner end connected to said support for pivotalmovement, a spacing member abutting the face of the support and the rearside of the band, and

means for connecting the band tothe outer end of the bolt.

2. A guard fence comprising a support, an impact-receiving band, a boltor the like having its inner end connected to said support for pivotalmovement, means for connecting the band to the outer end of the bolt,and a spacing member interposed between the face of the support and theband and connected to the band.

3. A guard fence comprising a support having a hole extendingtherethrough and ared toward the outer face thereof, a bolt or the likeextending through said hole and having its rear end connected to thesupport, and a guard band connected to the outer end of the bolt.

4.' A guard fence comprising a support having a holeextendingtherethrough and iiared toward the outer 'face thereof, a boltextending through said hole and having its rear end connected to thesupport, a guard band connected to the outer end of the bolt, and amember interposed between the outer face of the support and the band andsldably engaging the face ofthe post.

5. A guard fence comprising a support, an impact-receiving band, aspring of semi-elliptical form having its mid portion disposed againstthe face of the support and slidable thereon, and its end portionsengaging the rear face of the band, and means for supporting the bandagainst said spring.

6. A guard fence comprising a support, an impact-receiving band, aspring of semi-elliptical form having its mid portion disposed againstthe face of the support and its end portions engaging the rear face ofthe band, and means disposed between the ends of the spring andadjustable toward the face of the support for holding the band againstsaid spring ends.

7. A guard fence comprising a support, an impact-receiving band, aspring of semi-elliptical form having its mid portion disposed againstthe face of the support and its end portions engaging the rear face ofthe band, and means for adjustably tensioning the band against saidspring, the said spring ends being flared apart in directionslongitudinally of the band.

8. A guard fence comprising, a support, an impact-receiving band, a boltor the like having its inner end connected to said support for pivotalmovement,4 and means for pivotally connecting the band to the outer endof the bolt.

able projections extending outwardly from the support, and meansengaging said memberand 1,950,719 movable between said projections toeiect tensioning of the member.

10. A guard fence comprising a support, an impact receiving band, a boltor the like having its inner end connected to said support for pivotalmovement, andmeans for connecting the band to the outer end of the bolt,the bolt being slidable longitudinally of itself with respect to thepost.

11. A guard fence comprising a support, a exible impact-receivingmember, a pair of projections extending outwardly from the support, andmeans having connection with the support, and engaging said member, thesaid means extending between said projections and being adjustabletoward and from the face of the support, to effect tensioning of thesaid member.

12. A guard fence comprising a support, a ilexible impact-receivingmember, and a pair of arms connected to said support and extendingoutwardly into engagement with the exible member atlongitudinally-spaced points thereof', the inner ends of said arms beingrigidly connected and of convex form, the said convex portion bearingagainst the face of the support and having rocking movement thereon.

13. A highway guard including a support, a exible impact-receivingmember, a. resilient member projecting from the face of the support andconnected to the impact-receiving member, and adjustable means at saidsupport for tensioning the impact-receiving member.

14. A highway guard including a support, a exible impact-receivingmember carried by the support, spaced resilient members engaging thesupport, and means for4 deecting the impactreceiving member between thesaid spaced members to tension the said member.

15. A highway guard including spaced posts, a exible impact-receivingmember, a spacing member movably supported at the face of the post andat its outer side having engagement with the impact-receiving member,and tensioning means for defiecting a portion of the impact-receivingmember from the outer plane of the spacing member toward one of theposts.

WALTER S. EDGE.

